This invention relates to a device for fixing pipes, rods and other elongated bodies to panels, plates etc. constituting part of, for example, an automobile or other vehicle, an electric appliance, a machine or device, or a structural member of a building.
One of the inventors of the present invention previously proposed a fixing device of this type which, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,177, includes a U-shaped housing portion provided on the top side of a base plate having an anchor for fixing the device to a panel etc. The previously proposed device further has a V-shaped fitting portion provided above the housing portion of the base plate to receive the pipe, rod or other object to be fixed. After the object has been placed into the V-shaped fitting portion, this portion is pressed into the housing portion and held in this position by the engagement between engaging projections on the housing portion and engaging pawls of the V-shaped fitting portion.
In use, this prior fixing device is first fixed to the panel by its anchor and the object to be fixed is then inserted into the V-shaped fitting portion. Thereafter, the V-shaped fitting portion, together with the object fitted therein, is pressed down into the housing portion to complete the fixing operation. This arrangement is advantageous in that it allows the object to be fixed easily and without fear of its being marred and in that the housing portion can be formed of thick material so as to assure strong holding force.
On the other hand, the provision of a thick housing portion has a tendency to impair operability since a greater pushing force is required to press the object into the housing. Moreover, the stronger holding force attained in this way means that it is not easy to release the grip of the fixing device on the object when it is necessary or desirable to take up slack that has developed therein. Another problem is that when a force is applied to the object in the longitudinal direction, there is a fair chance that the V-shaped fitting portion will slide within the housing and become detached therefrom.
One object of this invention is to provide a fixing device which is free of the defects of the prior art device but which retains the advantages thereof, namely a fixing device which has good operability even in the case where the holding force is made large and is capable of holding the object to be fixed in a provisionally fixed state prior to final fast fixing thereof.
Another object of this invention is to provide a fixing device for pipes, rods etc. wherein there is no danger of the fitting portion coming detached from the housing portion as a result of a force applied to the object to be fixed in the longitudinal direction thereof.